Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business

Williams gives Sky Sox second straight walk-off win

A different night, and a different hero, but the result was the same for the resilient Sky Sox.
For the second game in a row, Colorado Springs battled back for a walk-off victory, this time on an RBI single by catcher Jackson Williams.
After an intentional walk to Angelys Nina loaded the...

A different night, and a different hero, but the result was the same for the resilient Sky Sox.

For the second game in a row, Colorado Springs battled back for a walk-off victory, this time on an RBI single by catcher Jackson Williams.

+ captionThis is a 2014 photo of Jackson Williams of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. This image reflects the Rockies active roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, when this image was taken. (AP Photo/ Gregory Bull)

After an intentional walk to Angelys Nina loaded the bases with the game tied at 9, Williams got ahead in the count against reliever Chia-Jen Lo held on with a couple foul balls to set up a 3-2 count.

“With the count at 3-2, I was looking for a fastball,” said Williams, who collected his third RBI of the game and fourth of the season. “I didn’t think he would go with an off-speed or one to the outside with the bases loaded. I was looking for a good pitch and got one.”

The Sky Sox celebrated in right field and earned Colorado Springs a series split with the PCL American North Division leading-RedHawks (10-6) before a crowd of 3,566.

“We just don’t give up,” Williams said. “We all know at this ballpark that no lead is truly safe.”

It certainly proved that way with the Sky Sox (7-8) ahead 8-1 entering the sixth.

OKC right fielder Enrique Hernandez ripped an RBI double into left field to score the go-ahead run and complete the RedHawks rally in the top of the ninth.

Colorado Springs led 8-1 through five innings before starter Pedro Hernandez tired and the bullpen was undone by good OKC hitting and two of the Sky Sox’s four errors on the night.

Matt McBride clubbed a three-run homer off the Security Service Field scoreboard to make it 3-1. McBride did not return. He appeared to hurt his leg as he rounded first base. He limped into second base before he realized he had hit a homer.

Williams hit a two-run double in the fourth and Nina a two-run single in the fifth for the 8-1 lead.

Hernandez was rolling at that point, with one run and four hits through five good innings but he struggled in the sixth inning (four runs, four hits) and OKC took advantage. The RedHawks were sparked by a two-run double by Domingo Santana in the sixth, a two-run homer by Max Stassi in the seventh and an RBI double by Gregorio Petit that tied it at 8-8 in the eighth.

Notes

Infielder Rafael Ynoa was place on the disabled list with a left calf contusion and replaced by Nina, who was called up from extended Spring Training. The 2007 Rockies free agent signee spent last season with Double-A Tulsa (.280 average, 51 RBIs, 19 stolen bases). … All three Sky Sox home wins have been walk-off victories though this was the first without extra innings. … The Sky Sox return home for a four-game homestand against new division rival Iowa Cubs April 24-27.